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Just a few miles west of Alpena, Michigan on M32 my dad and I discovered an old abandoned shale quarry. A good portion of the quarry is now full of water and trees, many of which appear to be dead. The fantastic clouds and low wind made this quarry picture-perfect today. F11 at 1/125, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

It is hard to beat Michigan wildflowers and bright blue skies that are full of giant white billowy clouds. My job today as an outdoor photographer was to find the flowers and line up all of the beautiful elements together in one photograph. The old abandoned shale quarry near Alpena, Michigan was the perfect setting. F20 at 1/400, ISO 800, 14mm lens at 14mm

In my mind's eye, the scene in front of me at this flooded old shale quarry west of Alpena, Michigan is most incongruous. Dead and dying trees appear almost colorless while brilliant yellow goldenrod along the water's edge thrives. I spend a long time fitting these two subjects together to make an image that I find oddly and artistically harmonious. F22 at 1/30, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 16mm

I am about to get back in the truck after taking a picture near Alpena, Michigan when a bumblebee flies past me and lands on a knapweed flower. Bumblebees have fascinated me since childhood. Their colorful, fuzzy bodies and buzzing sound make them my favorite Michigan insect. F9 at 1/500, ISO 400, 105mm lens at 105mm

My dad and I have both photographed Queen Anne's Lace several times this year for the Tuesdays Project, but today I tried to do it in a more unique way. I used my 105mm macro lens and got extremely close to one section of a dew-covered Queen Anne's Lace. I love how macro photography can make the ordinary look extraordinary. F14 at 1/500, ISO 800, 105mm lens at 105mm

Queen Annes Lace

As I crested the top of a tall wooded bank along M32 today just east of Alpena, I was stunned to see the tree graveyard below. An old abandoned shale quarry had filled in with water over the years and many of the trees were unable to survive in the harsh environment. The dense cloud cover created a bright overcast lighting effect on the scene. I love how this photograph looks like it was taken in the wintertime. F10 at 1/800, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm

Four large sandhill cranes made their way across M32 in Northeast Michigan this morning. I was glad my dad could stop the Suburban fast enough for me to get out my giant telephoto lens and tripod in time to capture these magnificent creatures in flight. F5.6 at 1/2000, ISO 800, 600mm lens at 840mm

The Lafarge cement factory in Alpena, Michigan is home to one of the world's largest limestone rock quarries. Today aboard the Lady Michigan, we pulled into the loading dock of the cement factory to get a closer look at how a 1,000 foot lower-laker is loaded with the cement products that are produced at this massive facility. F22 at 1/400, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

The spiral staircase of New Presque Isle Light is as elegant as it is strong. The cast iron stairs once took the keeper, and now takes thousands of visitors, 138 steps to the top of one of the tallest lighthouses on the Great Lakes. F6.3 at 1/15, ISO 1600, 24-70mm lens at 26mm

Tonight, the New Presque Isle Lighthouse north of Alpena, Michigan was casting a beautiful shadow of itself on the Earth just east of the tower. I composed this photograph so that the sky was not in the picture because, like my dad always taught me, if it doesn't add to a photograph, it probably detracts. The sky was just a boring blue color with no clouds or detail. By cropping out the sky, I can keep the viewer's eyes on the shadow of the lighthouse. F16 at 1/40, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 44mm

My son Brad checks out the view of Presque Isle and Lake Huron from high atop New Presque Isle Light, the tallest accessible lighthouse among the 149 Great Lakes Lighthouses. F5.6 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 105mm

This statue of Patrick Garrity, Sr., appointed as lighthouse keeper at the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse by Abraham Lincoln in 1861, stands watch today in front of the remains of the original lighthouse built in 1840. Many people believe that the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is haunted. I did not go inside the lighthouse to find out for myself. I did have goose bumps the entire time I was on the property and that was before I had heard the ghost stories! F14 at 1/25, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Today was my first visit to the White River Light Station near Whitehall, Michigan. What a magnificent piece of Michigan maritime history. The building and lighthouse are gorgeous, but the coolest aspect of the light station is the museum inside. It is definitely worth a visit with your family! F11 at 1/80, ISO 100, 10-17mm lens at 13mm

My son Brad is making a different image of the White River Light Station but is having the same thought I am. He remarks that this lighthouse, more than others we have photographed in Michigan, looks like a home with a lighthouse attached. I think this Whitehall, Michigan light station is definitely one of the most charming lighthouses on the Great Lakes. F8 at 1/500, ISO 100, 28mm lens at 28mm

This photograph represents the circle of life for trees. Healthy living trees that are starting to show their fall colors surround the dead tree in the middle. If you look closely you will also see a few tiny trees that are just starting their lives along the Lake Michigan shoreline at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon, Michigan. F22 at 13 seconds, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

Soon these leaves that are covering the bark of a giant old tree at Stearns Park in Ludington will be flaming red, yellow, and orange as another fall season in Michigan sets in. Today, however, I am drawn to the beautiful mix of yellow and green leaves. F2.8 at 1/160, ISO 100, 300mm lens at 300mm

I enjoy trying to make order out of chaos with my camera. My dad spotted this fungus growing on the side of a tree at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park and I set upon making an artistic photograph of it. The hot muggy air was making the fungus steam, but unfortunately, my camera did not record that. F22 at 5 seconds, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 20mm

I am driving along Pere Marquette Highway en route to Muskegon when some fluorescent green algae catches my eye on a roadside pond. I know the bright green color could make a good backdrop if I can find a subject to place in front of it. Five minutes of exploring later, there it is! F4 at 1/800, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 112mm

Michigan wildflowers are always so much fun to photograph. By getting extremely close with my macro zoom lens, I omitted the cement and junk that were cluttering this scene at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. Because of the wind I had to raise my ISO up to 1600 in order to have a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the motion of the blowing flowers. F8 at 1/125, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 50mm